Puzzle apparatus.



UNITED EDWARD O. S. PARKER, OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY.

PUZZLE APPARATUS.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD C. S. PARKER, of the U. S. Navy, a citizen of the United States, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Puzzle Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to puzzle apparatus of the type wherein free balls are caused by the tilting or the manipulation of the base board on which they rest to traverse certain channels, and finally to become seated in certain pockets.

The invention consists in the construction more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawingFigure 1 is a perspective view of my puzzle apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan view, and Fig. 3 is a section on the line a, ."v, .73, of Fig. 2.

Similar numbers of reference indicate like parts.

The flat base board 1 is quadrangular and is surrounded by a raised rim 2. From one wall of the rim transverse partitions 4, 5, 6 extend partly across the base, and from the opposite wall of the rim similar partitions 7, 8, alternating with partitions 4, 5, 6, extend partly across the base, so that the end por tions of partitions 4, 5, 6 overlap the end portions of partitions 7, 8. On the side of each partition, and near to the rim, is formed a recess in which is a detachable inserted piece 9 which fills the recess. Said inserted piece is held in place by a pin 10 on its under side entering an opening in the base. In each ar tition and on the same side as that in w iich the inserted piece 9 is located is formed a shallow pocket 11. A similar pocket is formed on the inner side of the rim wall 12. The pockets 11 in the several partitions and the rim wall are symmetrically placed in a ine drawn across the said partitions, and preferably bisecting the base board. The positions of these pockets may be visually indicated by coloring or shading the adj a: ent surfaces of base and partitions. The ends of the partitions are beveled in. the same direction, as shown at 13. The inserted pieces 9 in the partitions 4, 5, 6 have square ends, as shown at 14, to lit in the correspondii'igly formed rabbets. The inserted pier es 9 in the partitions 7, 8 have their ends beveled, as shown at 15, and the rabbets are similarly formed. The number of partitions may be increased or diminished as desired.

In order to operate the a paratus, as many balls 16 as there are pocl rets are first Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 9, 1909.

Patented June 1, 1909.

Serial No. 482,219.

placed at an angle of the base and between the rim wall 12 and the partition 4. This place may be indicated by shading or coloring the base board and adjacent parts. The base board held in the hands of the operator is then tilted so as to cause the balls to run along and between the several partitions and over the beveled ends thereof, until all are gathered in the opposite angle of the base board between the rim wall 17 and partition 6. The problem then is by suitable tilting or manipulation of the base board only and without touching the balls, or in any wise interfering with them to cause the several balls to become seated in the several pockets, thus filling all of said pockets as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. This is not an easy matter and requires considerable care on the part of the operator in order to prevent the balls over running the pockets. In order to render the task more difficult, the operator may remove the inserted pieces 9 in artitions 7, 8. The halls then enter the rab ets formerly occupied by said pieces, and the effort to dislodge them therefrom, tends to make them run still more readily over the pockets. A still greater degree of difliculty may be secured by leaving the pieces 9 in partitions 7, 8 in place and removing the pieces 9 in partitions 4, 5, 6. In such event, the ba ls on leaving the recesses instead of meeting beveled ends, as 13, meet the square ends 14, and hence, it requires more inclination of the board to get them past such square ends with consequent increased likelihood of their passing over the pockets. The great est degree of difficulty is, of course, attained when all of the inserted pieces 9 are removed.

I claim:

1. In a puzzle apparatus of the type set forth, a base board, an inelosing rim there for, a plurality of partial partitions extending from opposite walls of said rim and having overlapping end portions, and a pocket on the same side of each of said partitions.

2. In a puzzle apparatus of the type set forth, a base board, an inclosing rim there for, a plurality of partial partitions extending from opposite walls of said rim and having overlapping end portions, and a pocket on the same side of each of said partitions: the said pockets being disposed in line and in the overlapping portions of said part1- tions.

3. In a puzzle apparatus of the type set forth, a base board, an inclosing rim there- 1 pocket and the rim: the said pockets being' for, a plurality of partial partitions extending from opposite walls of said rim and hav ing overlapping end portions, a pocket on the same side of each end portion, and a detachable piece in each of said partitions between said pocket and the rim.

4. In a puzzle apparatus of the type set forth, a base board, an inclosing rim there for, a plurality of partial partitions extending from opposite sides of said rim and having overlapping end portions, a pocket on the same side of each end portion and of one wall of said rim, a detachable iece inserted in said side Wall, and detacha le pieces inserted in each of said partitions between said in line.

5. In a puzzle apparatus of the type set forth, a base board, an inclosing rim therefor, a plurality of partial partitions extending from opposite walls of said rim and having overlapping end portions, a pocket on the same side of each end portion, and free balls on said base board corresponding in number to the number of said pockets.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD C. S. PARKER. l/Vitnesses C. S. SMITH, J12, MYoN E. BRISTOW. 

